Are RI Taxpayers Responsible For Yet Another Failed State Project?

The $364-million computer system, Unified Health Infrastructure Project (UHIP), the largest ever Rhode Island IT project designed to bring all of the state’s social service and health exchange records together, is now being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice. Governor Gina Raimondo, claims the impending investigation is against Deloitte Consulting, the vendor that the State of RI chose to design and implement the system, and not the State of Rhode Island that is responsible for the claims of false statements and false completed tasks. The RI Executive Office of Health and Human Services and the RI Department of Administration both received a demand to supply “all documents relating to various phases of the project from Deloitte, including all communications during the system’s design and testing, invoices sent and payments made”. The U.S. government is paying 80% of the project’s cost, RI taxpayers are covering the remaining 20%.

“This is another reminder of how Rhode Island officials failed to make sure a state-hired company is up to the task of managing an immense and costly project. The state has a responsibility to make sure taxpayers are getting what they paid for”